One project that my students pursued was exploring ways to develop the Rockwood Catalyst Site in Gresham. The City of Gresham owns the site, a former home to a Fred Meyer store, and has been debating what to do with the site for years. The site is a stone's throw from the students' school, Alder Elementary. The fifth graders in... Full story »

I apologize to those who follow this blog for my extended absence. As I took on more teaching duties this spring, I wanted to devote all of my energy to my students. They were amazing and deserving of all of my attention. I kept notes, however, so in coming weeks I will share stories about an incredible year and also... Full story »

The New York Times today has a fascinating story about striving to improve teacher quality. Writer Elizabeth Green notes that: The testing mandates in No Child Left Behind had generated a sea of data, and researchers were now able to parse student achievement in ways they never had before. A new generation of economists devised statistical methods to measure... Full story »

I was conducting research and found an article from The Portland Tribune in 2008 about Alder Elementary School, where I am an intern. The reporter, Jennifer Anderson, captures the school's role as a haven for students. Since the article appeared, the school staffing has been reduced because of Reynolds School District funding cutbacks and the principal has changed twice. But the article otherwise reflects the committed school... Full story »

Oregon voters turned back challenges to tax increases last week, preventing more severe cuts to schools. The passage of Ballot Measures 66 and 67 delivers a Band-aid for what continues to be an inadequate system for financing schools. Oregon schools still face an uncertain future, with an unstable funding source and finances that fall far short of what the state itself considers to be... Full story »

As Oregonians vote on two key ballot measures that will affect schools, they also are awash in a flood of misinformation about them. You can find strong journalism that vets the accuracy of the ads. The Oregonian's news reporters continue to write pieces that help readers understand the measures. Ballot Measure 66 raises tax on household income at and above... Full story »

When students walk into teacher Laurie Shonkwiler’s second-grade classroom, they get to working on reading and writing immediately. Shonkwiler doesn’t want to waste a single-minute. She sees it as her mission to develop good readers before the second graders move on and that requires taking advantage of the entire school day. As a prospective teacher, in addition... Full story »

A two-week winter break from teaching school and attending classes has enabled me to recharge my batteries, but also to catch up with important news about education. The major story in Oregon involves the upcoming votes on key tax measures helping support schools. Voters will decide Jan. 26 on Measure 66, which sets higher tax brackets for high income earners, and on Measure... Full story »

The Oregonian is bidding farewell to 32 journalists last week and this week. My talented ex-colleagues chose to accept a buyout offer from the newspaper or to retire. The downsizing is the latest in a series of steps to reduce the staff of the newspaper, which, like newspapers across the country, has been battling declining print revenues in recent years.... Full story »

Louisiana is leading the way in a new movement to use test scores to help measure the effectiveness of institutions that train teachers. The effort is the latest in a drive to try to improve the quality of teacher education programs in the country. The Washington Post highlights the pioneering effort at Universityh of Louisiana-Lafayette. Full story »

Family, friends and fellow students filled the Agnes Flanagan Chapel at Lewis & Clark College for a moving memorial service for student Kristian Kerstiens. Kerstiens, who was studying to become a high school teacher, died Oct. 31 from complications from swine flu. Family and friends recalled how Kerstiens taught everybody how to life to the fullest. Although only age 25 when... Full story »

Oregon's Speaker of the House vows that the Legislature will lift a ban on teachers wearing religous clothing in its session that begins in February. The Oregonian's Betsy Hammond reports that Speaker Dave Hunt will introduce a bill to overturn a 1923 law that bans such religious garb as turbans, yarmulkes, headscarves and crosses. The law stems from an... Full story »

The Oreognian's Betsy Hammond reports Sunday on how new math strategies are producing student progress in math. As a prospective teacher, the results cited in the article are especially encouraging because we are learning how to teach math in a new way At Lewis & Clark, the prospective elmentary teachers are in the midst of an intensive math instruction course.... Full story »

President Obama marked the anniversary of his election by focusing on education reform. In a speech at a Madison, Wis., middle schoolhe promoted the federal government's $4.35 billion Race to the Top program, which will give extra federal stimulus funds to states based on the strength of their education reforms.But educators are wary of several of the proposed reforms, including tying teacher pay to... Full story »

Lewis & Clark is mourning the loss of a teaching student who died from complications of swine flu. Kris Kerstiens, who was seeking a master's in teaching, died Saturday, according to Scott Fletcher, dean of Lewis & Clark's Graduate School of Education and Counseling. "This is a heart wrenching loss," Fletcher wrote in an e-mail to the school this... Full story »

My mentor teacher, April Azizi, recently was absent on one of the days I work at Alder Elementary and she placed me in charge of the classroom, with the supervision of a licensed substitute. Azizi patiently guided me through the curriculum that needed to be taught and then pushed me into the proverbial pool. The day was exhilarating. Of course,... Full story »

The schedule at Alder Elementary strives to match the wide range of student needs. As a result, students receive a lot of instruction that tries to meet them where they're at academically. Here is a typical schedule for my fifth-graders: - 7:50 a.m. Students gather in their main classroom - 8 a.m.... Full story »

The statistical portrait of Alder Elementary could be viewed as grim: The school in east Multnomah County is among the poorest economically in Oregon. Almost all of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. More than three-quarters speak English as a second language. But that’s not the portrait that would emerge within the school’s walls. The teachers and... Full story »

I apologize to followers of this blog for not immediately describing my school internship experiences. Out of respect for the students, I wanted to immerse myself in the school and focus on their learning before sharing any observations. Over the next few days, I will begin to share my experiences. I feel so fortunate to be assigned to Alder... Full story »

The Oregonian's Wendy Owen had an engaging story last week about the clothing choices made by teachers. The newspaper followed up on the story with a Chalk It Up blog item sharing the opinons of readers.. A majority of those responding to an informal poll thought that teachers should have a dress code. As a student teacher, for now I have... Full story »